1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a centrifugal blower.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the related art, there is known a centrifugal blower mounted to a device having a blowing function, such as an artificial respirator, a cleaner, a cooling fan or the like. In the centrifugal blower, an impeller disposed within a casing is rotated by the power of a motor, thereby sucking a gas from a suction port of the casing and discharging the gas from an exhaust port of the casing. Centrifugal blowers of the related art are disclosed in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,854, U.S. Pat. No. 8,638,014 and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0199129.
When a blower is driven, along with rotation of a rotor, vibration is generated in a stator. In the respective documents cited above, a stator of a motor is directly fixed to a casing. For that reason, in the structures of the respective documents cited above, the vibration generated in the stator is easily transferred to the casing. Thus, it is difficult to reduce vibration and noises generated during the operation of the blower.
In order to reduce the vibration of the blower, it is thinkable to interpose another member between the stator and the casing, thereby covering the periphery of the stator with another member. However, during the operation of the blower, the stator generates heat due to the power supply to coils. Although vibration can be reduced by merely covering the periphery of the stator with another member, it is difficult to dissipate the heat generated in the stator. That is to say, in the centrifugal blower, the compatibility of vibration resistance and heat dissipation is a problem that involves technical difficulties.